Medical articles today

Researchers reporting in the February 3rd issue of Cell Metabolism may have a new way to trick the body into consuming more energy. The target in this case is an enzyme that indirectly controls the activity of what the researchers refer to as the "energy master switch." It boils down to this: When you give mice a chemical that blocks the function of the enzyme known as Fyn kinase, they almost immediately begin burning more fat. "When there is an imbalance between what we eat and what we burn, " the outcome is obesity, said Claire Bastie of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Neuroscience. "And the problem of obesity is not going away.

Using combined and intensive treatments and restructuring care to treat obesity like other chronic diseases may help primary care clinicians and patients better address the condition, according to a commentary and three articles published in the January 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Data suggest an extensive gap exists between recommended obesity care and current practice by primary care clinicians, notes Robert F. Kushner, M.D., of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, in the commentary. "The reasons for the gap are complex owing to multiple physician, patient and medical system factors, " he writes.

METABOLIC DISEASE: Making macrophages protect against effects of obesity It is well known that diet-induced obesity increases dramatically a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes. One reason underlying this susceptibility is that diet-induced obesity triggers the accumulation of inflammatory immune cells known as macrophages in fat tissue known as white adipose tissue (WAT). A team of researchers, led by Robert Farese Jr. and Suneil Koliwad, at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, San Francisco, has now determined that engineering macrophages to store increased amounts of triacylglycerol (the main constituent of vegetable oil and animal fats) is sufficient to protect mice from diet-induced inflammatory macrophage activation, macrophage accumulation in WAT, and insulin resistance, a condition that preempts the onset of type 2 diabetes.

A foam roller is an incredible tool for anyone who is engaging in intense training and workouts. Whether you are an avid runner, are involved in a regular strength training program, or a competitive athlete; foam rolling is a great technique to improve performance. First let me describe how and why the foam roller works. Everyone has what is called superficial fascia, which is connective tissue located just below the skin. This is the stuff that connects muscles, blood vessels, bones and nerves in the body. Together with the muscles this creates the myofascia system. When people are training hard, have had injuries, or do not stretch enough, the fascia can become tight and bundled together.

Polar has really taken heart rate monitors to the next level. No matter what your fitness level is Polar has several monitors to match. They have their watches broken down into 3 fitness categories: Get Active is for those new to exercise and training. Improve Fitness is for those moving to a higher level. Maximize Performance for those serious about training and competition. In each of these fitness categories, Polar has monitors for 3 different types of athletes: Fitness and Cross training Running and Multisport Cycling Get Active Polar has watches that teach you about fat burning vs. improving fitness. They have watches that measure calories burned or simply tell you to work out easier or harder than the day before.

If you're like me, you've turned on the television on a Saturday morning and have seen those infomercials for the P90X workout. It's a very enticing infomercial and they convinced me to call! When I bought P90X though, I really had no clue what kind of equipment I needed to successfully complete the program. I didn't want to buy equipment that I didn't need, but I also wanted to get the maximum results from the program and be able to do all of the exercises correctly. You may be in the process of purchasing the P90X workout and wondering the same thing. What is the total investment you're going to have to make to be able to complete the program?